1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven and, in particular, to increasing the safety of workers performing repairs or maintenance thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional microwave oven, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a cooking chamber 60 formed by a housing. The housing comprises various panels, including a front panel 20, a back panel 30, a base panel 40 and a removable outer panel 50. A turntable 70 is disposed on a floor of the cooking chamber 60. A door 80 is provided for opening and closing the cooking chamber 60, and a control unit 90 is provided for establishing cooking function modes or for operating a magnetron (not shown), or the like.
In order to drive the microwave over thus constructed, when a door-open button at the control unit 90 is pressed while an electric cord 100 is still plugged in an electrical outlet, the door 80 is opened to light a lamp in the cooking chamber 60.
At this time, food is placed on the turntable 70, the door 80 is closed, a desired cooking time and cooking menu and the like are input by way of the control unit 90, and a start button is pressed. Then the turntable 70 is rotated in one direction as a high frequency of 2,450 MHZ is generated according to an oscillating operation of a magnetron (not shown) to thereafter be dispersed in the cooking chamber 60.
The high frequency dispersed in the cooking chamber 60 is reflected from metal walls therein and is radiated to the food on the turntable 70 to thereby heat the food.
However, there is a problem in the conventional microwave oven thus constructed in that an electric shock to a worker can happen when the outer panel 50 is separated while the electric cord 100 is still plugged in the outlet during repair or maintenance of the product.